MISTAKEN IDENTITY – Richard Hannay, played by Fred Carpenter, tries to convince Pamela, played by Kimberly Emerald Boutin, of his mistaken identity in The 39 Steps at Falmouth Theater Guild.

Falmouth Theatre Guild production is fine escapist fare

Protagonist Richard Hannay should have heeded the old adage, “Be careful what you wish for.”

Bored to death with his staid lifestyle, the 37-year-old Canadian bachelor takes in a night at the theater looking for excitement and distraction from the daily tedium. He gets more than he bargains for, however, when he meets a mysterious woman in black who accompanies him back to his modest London flat, where she ends up being stabbed to death. Hannay unwittingly becomes a murder suspect pursued by the police and entangled in the shadowy world of international espionage. He goes on the lam to Scotland to clear his name by finding the head of the spy ring. Along the way, he encounters an array of colorful characters. So much for boredom!

Adapted from the 1915 novel by John Buchan and Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1935 spy film, Patrick Barlow's Tony Award-winning The 39 Steps is a riotous romp and great escapist fare. The clever comedy features a witty script packed with puns and references to other Hitchcock films. The plot of this spoof stays pretty faithful to the serious film version but is strictly played for laughs. You don't have to be familiar with the movie to get a kick out of it.

Director Tom Pucci keeps the action percolating in this playful, high energy Falmouth Theatre Guild production. Pucci draws fine performances from a cast of four, who portray numerous colorful characters including villains, spies and cops. This knockabout farce is heavy on physical and visual comedy and serves up plenty of slapstick humor, including funny chase scenes and comical bits. Creative staging and special sound, lighting and multimedia effects add to the fun. The spartan set features minimal props, including four wooden chairs that create the illusion of a getaway car.

Front and center of the frenetic action is Fred Carpenter, who engagingly plays the self-absorbed Hannay with a debonair air. Kimberly Boutin enlivens the play with her juicy portrayals of Annabella, the vampy spy; Margaret, the charming Scottish country wife; and Pamela, Hitchcock's typically icy heroine. The two leads play well off each other in their love/hate relationship. Their funniest scene occurs when the pair is handcuffed together, which makes for some amusing contortions.

The show's scene stealers are Greg Pucci and Eric W. Gomes as the two clowns who play an array of characters, sometimes all at once, simply by changing their hats, wigs, coats and accents. Their multiple roles require them to be quick-change artists and they manage to pull it off with aplomb. Their portrayal of the quirky Scottish husband and wife innkeepers is especially funny.

Anne Krishfield's walk-on role as the flapper sign girl makes for entertaining interludes between scene changes.

The 39 Steps adds up to an evening of theatrical fun sure to dispel the winter blues. It will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Highfield Theatre, off Depot Avenue, Falmouth. Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for ages 62 and older, and $12 for youth under 18. For reservations call 508-548-0400 or visit www.falmouththeatreguild.org